Shivrayancha Chhava

Shivrayancha Chhava is a grand production capturing the glorious times in the Maratha empire starting from the coronation of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. This is the second film on the historical figure in as many weeks.

Emperor Aurangazeb has Kakar Khan mercilessly torture the people for the jizya tax. To defend the commoners, the Maratha sword is raised against the jewel of Deccan – Burhanpur. The film manages to recreate the opulence and intrigue in the halls of both the Mughal and the Maratha courts. However, the political nuances and strategy take a backseat to slow-mo action and daily soap-esque reaction shots.

The film, helmed by Digpal Lanjekar who has become a master of the historical action genre in Marathi cinema by now, has some of the best production and costume work seen in the recent past. Expositional introductions of the characters set us into the times at a comfortable pace. The elaborate dance and music numbers go a long way in enhancing the experience. Special care has been given to the casting and world building to ensure a larger-than-life feeling across the film. The director uses a free hand when it comes to historical accuracy, in favour of establishing a clear villain.

Mrinal Kulkarni as Rajamata Jijau and Bhushan Patil as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj give praiseworthy performances. The action direction is brilliantly executed, where each fight and stunt adds to the audience immersion. The fight sequences in particular are performed brilliantly by Patil and Abhijeet Shwetachandra.

The miss for this film would be the story and character progression. Most characters are unidimensional at best and the story touches upon just a small portion of Sambhaji Maharaj’s life. The runtime could have been used to explore the nuanced aspects of the oft misunderstood king. In closing, watch this film for the action and not for the historical accuracy.